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24

Gouldian Finch (Erythrura gouldiae) Alternate name(s): "Purple-breasted Finch", "Painted Finch*" Size: 13-14 cm Weight: 12-16 g

Australia: Family Group 24 Family Group 24 Table Singing Bushlark Australian Pipit Eastern Yellow Wagtail Grey Wagtail White Wagtail Zebra Finch Double-barred Finch Long-tailed Finch Black-throated Finch Masked Finch Crimson Finch Plum-headed Finch Pictorella Mannikin Chestnut-breasted Mannikin Yellow-rumped Mannikin Blue-faced Parrot-Finch Diamond Firetail Beautiful Firetail Red-eared Firetail Painted Finch Star Finch Red-browed Finch Gouldian Finch Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names Habitat pages Key plants Birds Australi home page

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description With their wispy, long tails, Gouldian Finches are medium-sized finches in total length, but their bodies are small. Their plumage is dimorphic, i.e. males and females are slightly different. Both sexes have a green fringe around the facial mask, a grass-green back, cobalt-blue rump and black tail. The belly is bright-yellow, the undertail coverts are white. There are three morphologies, which have differently coloured facial masks. Most Gouldian finches have a black facial mask comprising forehead, ear coverts, lores and throat. Some have a crimson facial mask and others a yellow-ochre one. The different morphologies can come in mixed flocks. Male Gouldian Finches of all morphologies have a lilac chest, whereas females have a grey chest. The eyes have black irises. The strong, wedge-shaped bill is ivory-coloured, with a reddish tip. Juveniles are light grey-brown, with a small white throat patch and an olive-grey back.

Taxonomy, classification See Gouldian Finch at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed based on sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Gouldian Finch is available HERE . Gouldian Finches are endemic to Australia. They are found only in the tropical North of the continent. Their range extends from the East coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria (with the exception of the tip of Cape York peninsula), along the South coast of the Gulf, throughout the Top End of the NT, as far South as about Gregory NP, and into northern WA, up to about Derby, WA. Within that range, their habitat has been much reduced in recent decades and as of 2012 population numbers are declining. Gouldian Finches are found in open woodland and grassland.

Sightings Click here for sighting information B. Hensen reports spotting Gouldian Finches on the Marrakai track, about 15 km South of Arnhem Highway junction, NT, in August 2012 and again in August 2013. More Gouldian Finches were found along the Marrakai track in July 2018. H. Mouritsen reports spotting a single immature Gouldian Finch along the Edith Creek Road near Katherine, NT, in October 2015.

Photos

Red morphology

ADULT

MALE

Lateral view of a male Gouldian Finch foraging on the ground (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Marrakai track, NT, July 2018]

Small group of Gouldian Finches, both black-headed and red-headed morphologies, with three immature birds at the left and back (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Marrakai track, NT, August 2012]

FEMALE

Small group (possibly family) of Gouldian Finches, with a red-headed male, a black-headed female and two immature birds (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Marrakai track, NT, August 2012]

Sex unknown

Mixed flock of Gouldian Finches and Budgerigars in flight (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Top End, NT, July 2018]

Black morphology

ADULT

MALE

Pair of black-headed Gouldian Finches, male on the right (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Marrakai track, NT, July 2018]

FEMALE

Lateral view of a female Gouldian Finch in captivity (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of a juvenile Gouldian Finch (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Marrakai track, NT, August 2013]

Near-frontal view of two immature Gouldian Finches; note the light-blue spots near the gape (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Marrakai track, NT, July 2018]

Lateral view of a juvenile Gouldian Finch (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Marrakai track, NT, July 2018]

Adult male Gouldian Finch, left, with a dependent juvenile that was begging for food (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Marrakai track, NT, July 2018]

Pair of black-headed Gouldian Finches being joined by two juveniles (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Marrakai track, NT, July 2018]

Small group of Gouldian Finches, both black-headed and red-headed morphologies, with three immature birds at the left and back (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Marrakai track, NT, August 2012]

Food, Diet

Adults: Seeds

Dependents: Regurgitated seeds

Water intake: Daily

Like all other finches known to us, Gouldian Finches feed on seeds.

Lateral view of a male Gouldian Finch feeding on seeds (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Marrakai track, NT, July 2018]

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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Disclaimer: Comments are always welcome. We give no guarantee that the information presented on these pages is always correct or up-to-date. External links are marked as such and we take no responsibility for the contents of external pages. All images on this site are protected by copyright & used by permission of the respective owners. If you wish to reproduce them or any of the material presented on this web site, please contact us:          Last updated: Thu, 22 November 2018, 13:37 -06:00